Billions of iPhone owners warned over ‘unexpected message’ claiming their Apple ID is SUSPENDED

BILLIONS of Apple customers have been warned that they are the target of a new scam that can take over their accounts.

If you have recently received an email claiming that your Apple ID is suspended - delete it immediately.

Cyber crooks are sending eerily convincing Apple ID suspension emails to customers that have been created by AI.

AI-composed scam emails often look really close to the real thing.

Artificially intelligent tools allow criminals to avoid the usual pitfalls of spelling and grammar mistakes, which consumers can use to detect a phishing email.

The email pushes recipients to click a blue button labelled "Go to Apple ID".

It warns that customers must verify their identity within 24hours, or risk losing access to their account.

However, clicking the button takes unsuspecting customers to a fake website designed to steal their username, password and other personal details.

“Phishing scams like the Apple ID Suspended scheme are becoming increasingly prolific and under immediate urgency,” Jake Moore, a former digital crimes law enforcement officer and now global cybersecurity advisor at ESET, said.

"Many people are still manipulated by the clever tactics used by criminal hackers.”

If you can't detect any suspicious errors in the text, "it is important to verify the sender’s email address for any discrepancies," Moore continued.

"And avoid clicking on suspicious links as this is where scams often begin,” he said, adding "if you are ever in doubt of an Apple ID issue, go directly to the official Apple website to double check.”